


Replicated Warmth

by orphan_account



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alice Williams is a human named Alice Anderson, Amanda is... nicer I guess., Father-Daughter Relationship, Gen, Good parent Connor???, I saw a mod and I wanted more content., Lieutenant Alice Anderson, Mostly follows the events of the game, There was no content sadly, Where is Hank? Istg I don't know, and she is going to eventually adopt an android father, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:20:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23696077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: When Connor was sent to investigate the recent deviancy case with a certain individual known as Lt. Anderson, it did not anticipate that Lt. Anderson was a 9 year old little girl.*** DISCONTINUED ***Check recent chapter for details.
Relationships: Amanda & Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Connor & Alice Williams (Detroit: Become Human)
Comments: 22
Kudos: 31





	1. You found the wrong lieutenant. (REVISED)

**Author's Note:**

> I saw the mod of Lt. Alice Anderson and it quickly became my favorite AU. Too bad there are no fics, so I decided to take matters in my own hands and make a fic. Lots of things are going to be switched, and I'm still deciding what to do with Hank. Is Hank going to be Alice's dad? Is he not going to exist at all? No one knows, least of all the author!

**NOV 5TH** , 2038  
PM **11:21** :07

It flips its quarter coin twice before readjusting its tie. Unbothered by the heavy downpour behind, it steps right inside Jimmy’s bar, paying no heed to the sign that barred its entrance. A few heads turn around, sneering and jittering at its sudden presence. For those of who noticed it, their expressions read a mix of shock and anger, with their stress levels equally elevated within the moment.

But that doesn’t bother Connor, for it was tasked to find the person known as Lieutenant Anderson.

Under the jurisdiction of the Detroit Central Police Department, Connor was assigned to the lieutenant to help investigate the deviancy case. Without Anderson's supervision, it cannot continue on its own.

**> PRIORITY_ONE: OBJECTIVE: FIND LT. ANDERSON**

Connor blinks as the world world freezes into a matrix. Its processing power sped up to slow the course of time, stretching seconds into hours, moments captured in such slow motion, it felt as if the gears of time had stilled. A perfect chance to scan the environment and its inhabitants. 

**> SCAN FACES**

29% SYNC IN PROGRESS  
46% SYNC DONE  
**73% COLLECTING DATA**  
**100% PROCESSING DATA**

**MISMATCH**  
**DEMPSEY, EDWARD**  
**BORN: 02/08/1995 // ADMINISTRATOR**  
**CRIMINAL RECORD: NONE**

**MISMATCH**  
**PERTERSON, JIMMY**  
**BORN: 02/01/2001 // BUSINESS OWNER**  
**CRIMINAL RECORD: NONE**

Using all of its processing power had a disadvantage to it. All other processors paused inputting analogue data from the external system, focusing on optimizing visual data feeds instead. Staying in this mode was not efficient.

> **SECONDARY_** **AUDIO_INPUT** : Shit! I thought androids weren't allowed in here!  
> **SECONDARY_** **AUDIO_INPUT** : What's your problem?  
> **SECONDARY_** **AUDIO_INPUT** : You wanna buy me a drink?

Wood constituted most of the bar’s furnishings. It was rather old-fashioned in comparison to fast and modern design of the world outside. Even the flat display hanging from the ceiling brackets was old. A flat display, instead of the newer holographic models that the world had adopted. 

From the corner of it’s eye, Connor could see Jimmy stare at it silently as it walked past. Considering the ‘No Androids Allowed’ sign outside, he was rather lax about letting him past the door. The man didn’t bother forcing the android out. 

The patrons, however, thought otherwise. Although their moods were still streaked of disgust, Connor could tell that they were doing their best to ignore it, and let it be on its merry way. Despite the bar’s location, Connor could see that this establishment would be the most ideal place to find the lieutenant. 79% of the patrons had clean records. A 56% better difference than the other bars that it had visited. 

Walking past by, it brushed its shoulders against an upset customer, as it entered the washroom. The room was far from clean. Its scan showed that multiple kinds of bacteria had infested the place. There was grime on the tiles, and used toilet paper just laying around. The lights flickered every so often, although it didn’t make much of a difference considering how poorly it was doing anyways. 

Connor’s attention was completely captured by the dirty mirror on the wall across the toilet. Some anti-android graffiti covered the white paint around it. Its pristine looks was a stark contrast to its surroundings. The tie it had adjusted just before had already loosened. 

The RK800 frowned. It quickly straightened it anyways, and continued to look at its reflection, admiring the design of his face plate, and skin projection from either angles. Although plain, it liked its appearance. The little tuft of stray hair did much to soften its looks. It was never meant to look intimidating.

Smiling, it turned around to exit. The Lieutenant wasn’t here. Disappointing, but it will have to continue its search elsewhere. There were still a few other bars on the road. Certainly, the DPD wouldn’t be happy about hearing an officer not heeding to their duty? At least, that’s what CyberLife’s social programming directs Connor to think.

It passed by the same faces again. The ones that mocked its presence, the ones who snarled at it, the ones who doused themselves in alcohol, a little girl, a few criminals that eyed it for vandalism, a- wait a minute.

A little girl?

Connor stopped in its tracks when it saw the sight, completely taken aback by confusion. A bar was certainly not a place where children should be allowed to enter. It doesn’t remember knowing any human laws that permit them in such establishments, aside from what his social protocol instructs him. 

It looks at the bartender. He may be a laid back owner, but he shouldn’t be  _ that  _ relaxed. 

_This is **wrong**..._

The girl didn’t look older than nine or maybe eight. With her back slouched over the wooden counter-top, it was easy to miss her considering how small she looked in that position. She sat over a taller bar stool, something that Connor thinks that it was specially reserved for the child. Her black hair was tied in a low ponytail, that flowed over her pink clothes. She looked rather under-dressed for the weather. Between her hands, she held a glass of ice-chilled red carbonated juice, and a plate of half eaten brownie. 

**> PRIORITY_ONE: OBJECTIVE: FIND LT. ANDERSON**  
**> SCAN FACES**

Connor felt as if it were taking too long to observe the child, and decided to put its worries elsewhere. There was a lieutenant to look for and a crime pressing to be solved. It should probably look elsewhere. Lieutenant Anderson should be nearby, based on the reports of his fellow officers, that the man frequented bars in this district. 

It probably wouldn’t do the android much harm to scan the child too, however. Maybe at least know who she is related to, so he could file a report on child negligence later. Returning to the blue, frozen matrix, Connor decided to finally scan the last 'patron'.

**MATCH**  
**LT. ANDERSON, ALICE**  
**BORN: 09/06/2029 // POLICE LIEUTENANT**  
**CRIMINAL RECORD: NONE**

No.

No, that didn't can't be right. There could be a slight error within CyberLife’s database. The lieutenant couldn’t possibly be just a little girl? It should take several years to reach that status, but it certainly wasn’t something to get hold of within one’s childhood.

It reran the facial scan.

**MATCH**  
**LT. ANDERSON, ALICE**  
**BORN: 09/06/2029 // POLICE LIEUTENANT**  
**CRIMINAL RECORD: NONE**

Connor blinked again, the corners of its mouth opened a little, leaving his mouth hanging. Its processors raced through several thoughts over what it should and shouldn’t categorize. Morality reared its head in opposition. 

**> PRIORITY_ONE: OBJECTIVE: FIND LT. ANDERSON**  
~~**> SCAN FACES** ~~  
**> LT. ANDERSON FOUND**  
**> INTRODUCE SELF**

Connor stared pensively at the HUD. “Introduce self”. Its AI engine surely thought differently from what its directives told it to do, and it certainly felt like questioning how it could easily brush off such information. 

"Lieutenant Anderson," it began, keeping its voice slow and polite, " my name is Connor. I'm the android sent by CyberLife." It sounded very hesitant. No response.

"I looked for you at the station but nobody knew where you were. They said you were probably having a drink nearby." False information. "I was lucky to find you at the fifth bar."

"What do you want?" Alice snapped coldly, still not borrowing a look back at android.

"You were assigned a case early this evening. A homicide involving a CyberLife android. In accordance with procedure, the company has issued a specialized model to assist investigators." Alice kept nodding her head, slowly reaching for her spoon.

"Well I don't need assistance. Not from a plastic bastard like you." Her voice sounded dry with annoyance. "So just be a good lil' robot and fuck outta here." She motioned her hand to shoo it away as she picked her drink.

> REASON  
> THREATEN  
**> UNDERSTANDING**  
> PERSIST

"I understand that some people are not comfortable in the presence of androids, but I am-"

"I am perfectly comfortable..." Anger began to bubble in her voice."Now back off before I crush you like an empty juice box!" A blind threat. There was no way a child of her age and weight category could muster up the strength to destroy him like that.

> REASON  
> THREATEN  
**> PERSIST**

"I'm sorry, Lieutenant, but I must insist. My instructions stipulate that I have to accompany you." The little girl halted. She looked away in a mix of disgust and silenced anger at its words. 

She paused for a moment. Took a bite of her remaining brownie, and then tried to think of a snarky reply to shoo the android away once and for all. A moment later, a smile replaced her frown.

"Y'know where you can stick your instructions?" Alice laughed as she swished around the ice cubes in her juice.

"No. Where?"

Connor's android innocence earned it a bigger frown from the little lieutenant. Was he not programmed to understand humor? God damn machines blowing away the fun out of sarcasm. Her mood was ruined now. She continued to finish her drink in silence.

**ALICE - TENSED V**

Connor stood around to stare at her. What would it do to coax her into investigating the crime scene? Children shouldn’t be around dead bodies, theresay, but it tried to convince itself that maybe this one was different. It was programmed to help distressed children, but taking in children as colleagues? Surely, not even CyberLife anticipated that the android they were sending would be paired off with a mere child to investigate their failings. 

A series of prompts then filled its HUD:

> SPILL HER DRINK  
**> BUY HER ANOTHER DRINK**  
> WAIT OUTSIDE

Connor glanced at her food. Would buying another drink do the trick? Food would only tamper with handling the evidence. 

"You know what, I'll buy you another drink! What do you say?" Connor regulated his voice to sound as understanding and friendly as possible. Her ears perked up at the offer, and so did a glint sparked in her eyes. "Bartender, the same again, please!" It cheerfully slid in a 2$ bill.

"See that Uncle Jim? The wonders of technology. I want a blueberry smoothie in a cup," Alice amused, and then turned around to point a finger at Connor. "And you'll help me wash my hands. I am not touching that dirty shit."

Connor happily obliged at her request and picked her up from the stool while Jimmy worked on her order. She calmly sat on its arm, with her arms wrapped around its neck, as Connor walked to the restroom. Likewise, Connor bent down a little to help the girl wash her hands as it ran the tap. She sadly used its jacket to dry her hands though.

**ALICE - NEUTRAL**

"Alright Uncle Jim! Duty calls!" Anderson waved him an enthusiastic goodbye, as she collected her order, then turned around to face the android. “Lead the way to the crime scene.”

Connor awkwardly crooked her a smile, as Alice rested her head on its shoulder, slurping away at her new cup of juice. Its LED hadn’t switched from yellow for even a moment since it saw her. This should be… interesting?

**ALICE -** **Λ**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is the shittiest fic that I've ever written for your pleasure. I do not know how to write.


	2. Nothing to Report Amanda

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor and Amanda find Alice's behavior very weird. No one else thinks its odd. That too is weird.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed the name from "Replicated Decay", to "Replicated Warmth", because I thought that name fitted better for deviant Connor? I mean, he's eventually going to do what Luther became to Alice. I'm trying to experiment with my writing again. Still sucks ass I know, I know. 
> 
> Also, I can't wait until Connor stops calling himself an "it".

Connor looked at Alice in admiration as he walked out of the observation room after successfully receiving the confession from the HK400. Alice, however, thought that the gleam in the android’s eyes could’ve been better off reserved for a look of pride instead after what had transpired. 

They could already see Gavin storming off in the distance as Ben and Chris hushed the deviant into the glass cell. This was going to mark the first of the precinct’s android criminal cases, and the start of many more. 

“I wonder if anyone ever told that Gavin that they way he says fuck sounds like a sneeze?” Alice laughed. The two could see Gavin was rubbing his eyes at his desk.

“That would be because it's considered rude, Lieutenant.” 

“They should, it’s the truth.” She shrugged. 

Good God, the police would need more cells if the number of android cases began to skyrocket. Alice already knew about how people felt regarding androids, so if all of those robots now started to turn against the humans, it's going to be a disaster. Funny how a major cooperation thinks that sending in one android alone would be enough to end the job.

Telephone lines chimed across the bullpen as Connor and Alice briskly made their way to the little Lieutenant's terminal. Connor could hear some people already talking about him. The night shift had begun, but not for the Lieutenant. 

Only one last report remained for the day. This was going to take a while. They had to call in the station's technicians to take out the confession from Connor's memory logs, while she had to draft a report about what they found on site, label the evidence, and follow the rest of the protocols that went along with it. 

The labeling was especially troublesome. Androids didn't leave any traces behind aside from the crime itself - even their blood vanishes like acetone if left for a while. They're the perfect tools for creating the perfect crime. 

And yet they're so naive, from what Alice had seen.

The deviant hadn't even bothered to run away, because it finally had the freedom to think for itself? Then how did it decide to kill its owner? Such flawed logic, for such a powerful supercomputer. The emotions it displayed are going to surely haunt her.

The RK800 stayed by her side as she logged in the evidence, quietly observing the child with his hands crossed in front of it, as she went through punching her passcode into the interface and then depositing the various items on their respective shelves. 

"Hey…! Can’t you quit with the staring?" She exchanged a look of annoyance. “It’s creeping me out." Alice couldn’t stand the uncanny way that androids looked at people. Just one of the reasons why she had such a fervent distaste for the robots. Connor’s LED spun yellow for a moment.

"I-I'm terribly sorry, Lieutenant," the android stammered, then quickly switched to looking at the evidence shelf that had partially retracted to the wall. 

They were done. Alice wanted to log out for the day. She already missed the stream at Jimmy's Bar, and she sure didn't feel like heading home after what she just saw. 

She needed a drink. Terribly. Grape juice sounded nice. 

The girl hopped on her feet as she grabbed her keys back at her desk, ready to leave the bullpen. Haphazardly shuffling the remaining tablets into her drawer, she remembered to also take her badge, and went off her way with Connor quietly following tow, leaving behind the soft hustle bustle of the station. 

Alice waved her hand to shoo away the android when they approached the car. But just when she began to rev up the car engine, a light knocking sounded on her rear window. Annoyance drafted at her face again when her eyes met with Connor’s, followed by her lowering the glass.

“Lieutenant, I was thinking that maybe I should drop you to your home?” Connor’s eyes had worry written all over them. 

“I know how to drive tin-can. I don’t need an escort.”

“Please?” It dolled its eyes up to rope the girl into accepting his request. It worked like a charm and Alice sighed in defeat. Damn puppy-eyes. 

“Fine, but take me back to Jimmy’s Bar.”

“Jimmy’s Bar? But isn’t it past your bedtime?” Alice glared daggers at the mention. 

“Look, I let you drop me off to wherever the fuck I want one time, so don’t you dare use this chance to act like my mom.” She spat with steely venom, drawing back the car belt before exiting the vehicle. 

Connor smiled anyways and gladly took the wheel. Maybe it’ll pay for her share again? It might help to get on her good side. 

  
  
  
  
  


**NOV 6TH,** 2038  
AM **09:56** :04

Connor’s eyes fluttered open to the vast greenery of the Zen Garden. In its green garden, birds came and lazily trotted around, singing under the ambience of ruffled leaves. Grasshoppers and insects chirped under the glowing sun. Fish swam in the serene lake that lay under the pristine, white marbled isles that floated atop. Large glass structures dimly shaded the surroundings, allowing cool breezes to pass through. A stone path encircled the large lake, decorated with white doves that rested in groups under the shade.

Cherry Blossoms and Chrysanthemums blossomed to signal the start of spring, as they decorated the grass shrubberies that lined the lake. The smell of oak trees and pinewood drafted across the air under the cool shade of the artificial clouds that loitered in the sky.

**> PRIORITY_ONE: OBJECTIVE: FIND AMANDA**

Connor quickly made its way across the several white bridges that led to the core of Garden. There, Amanda stood, dressed in white with her silky green shawl draping over her shoulder, as she tended to her roses.

**AMANDA - TRUSTED**

“Hello Amanda.”

With a swift turn, Amanda looked at the android, a warm smile slowly spread across her face with a certain fondness in her eyes. 

“Connor, it’s good to see you.” The android smiled at her sweet voice. “Congratulations Connor. Finding that deviant was far from easy, and the way you interrogated it was very clever. You’ve been remarkably efficient Connor.” she praised as she took in the fragrance of her roses. Connor smiled back at her and thanked her at the acknowledgement.

 **AMANDA -** **Λ**

“We’ve asked the DPD to transfer it to us for further. It may teach us something about what happened.” Amanda returned to lightly spraying her flowers, cutting away thorns and weeds alike with apt precision. “The interrogation seemed… challenging. What did you think of the deviant?” she asked.

 **> TRAUMATIZED  
** > DEVIANCY  
> INTERVENTION  
> SIMULATION

“It showed signs of PTSD after being abused by its owner, as if its original program had been completely replaced by new instructions.” 

“This... Lieutenant Andseron has been officially assigned the deviancy case. What do you make of them?” 

Connor felt troubled by her question. What _did_ it make of her? Lieutenant Anderson was a foul mouthed young girl, who felt more misplaced in her environment than your average human child - a child who held a position of high authority under the law enforcement system. None of the options that its HUD provided seemed to fit her.

**> UNSURE**

“She’s obviously not what I was expecting, but… I don’t have information yet to form a definitive opinion.” 

Her?

Amanda paused and looked back at Connor. She opened her mouth and immediately closed it, turning back to her flowers and then facing Connor again. CyberLife’s database mentioned that the station that Connor was assigned to had a _male_ Lieutenant Anderson. What- Oh.. 

Oh.. she understood. 

“Unfortunately we have no choice, but to work with her. What do you think is the best approach?” She finally questioned. 

> FRIENDLY  
 **> ADAPT  
** > INDIFFERENT  
> DON’T KNOW

“I will adapt to her personality.” Connor believed that Amanda didn’t like its answer. A scowl showed on her face as she resumed spraying water. “It is in the best interest of the investigation that I avoid conflict and try to accommodate her psychology.” The lady narrowed her eyes as soon as Connor finished. 

“More and more androids show signs of deviancy,” she kept her spray bottle on the pristine desk beside. “There are millions in circulation. If they become unstable, the consequences will be disastrous. You are the most advanced prototype CyberLife has ever created.” She slowly stepped closer to Connor. “If anyone can figure out what’s happening, it's you.”

“Continue your investigation and put a stop to this. Hurry, Connor. There’s no time.”

“You can count on me Amanda.” His handler gave a firm nod before she left the area, inevitably plunging Connor to transition back to reality. 

A new set of priorities listed on its HUD.

**> PRIORITY_ONE: OBJECTIVE: LOOK FOR LT. ANDERSON  
** **> PRIORITY_TWO: GO TO RECEPTION**

The large flat LED display was the first thing Connor noticed as it stepped back into its new workplace. The reflective, black tiled floor was embedded with LEDs that signaled it to stop and wait until the person in front of him finished her business. 

Three ST300 models, outfitted with the standard DPD issued uniforms, sat behind their desks, supervised by ### ###, who manually operated the gates to the bullpen. There were still several people waiting for their turn to be called in on the chairs, listening to the TV, while some operated the two kiosks on the other side, as Connor observed.

"How can I help you?" The ST300 asked, its listless hazel eyes locked with Connor's unfocused chocolaty ones. 

"I'm here to see Lieutenant Anderson."

"Do you have authorization?"

"Yes." Connor immediately connected with the ST300, sending in streams of information regarding its person and its status in the DPD, among other things. Its eyes fluttered with its blinking, yellow LED.

"Lieutenant Anderson hasn't arrived yet, but you can wait at her desk," the receptionist gestured its arm towards the electronic gates.

> **SECONDARY_** **AUDIO_INPUT** : Tensions in the Arctic have reached a new level, with a Russian carrier and an American patrol boat reported to have clashed last night.  
> **SECONDARY_** **AUDIO_INPUT** : No shit!  
> **SECONDARY_** **AUDIO_INPUT** : That fucking machine could've killed everyone in the room!

**> PRIORITY_ONE: OBJECTIVE: LOOK FOR LT. ANDERSON  
** ** > SUB_TASK: AUTHORIZATION GRANTED   
** ** > SUB_TASK: FIND LT. ANDERSON'S DESK**

As Connor walked into the bullpen, it quickly scanned the room for possible objects of interest, taking note of every desk plate, until it arrived at the Lieutenant's. Officer Wilson had already mentioned that Alice always arrives on her own time, depending upon where she was the night before, and if the stars aligned, she’d be back by noon. 

“The Lieutenant went back to Jimmy’s Bar last night,” Connor mentioned to Wilson.

“Jimmy’s Bar again?” Wilson’s words carried a hint of disbelief. Something in Connor’s gut made it want to apologize to the officer for dropping the young Lieutenant at the bar instead of her home, although it still wouldn’t change anything. He decided against it.

Connor eventually rested to sit down and wait on the chair beside Alice’s desk. 

**> PRIORITY_ONE: WAIT FOR LT. ANDERSON  
** **> PRIORITY_TWO: EXPLORE NEW OFFICE  
** **> PRIORITY_THREE: PROGRESS CASE - EXAMINE DEVIANT INSIDE CELL**

All of that could wait. Its scan already showed that there were several objects of interest on the Lieutenant’s desk alone. It’d be worth knowing a bit more about her person, before it tried anything else.

The desk was marred with chaos. With several anti-android stickers on the screen; a box of sugared doughnuts, a dying Shishigashira Shohin on the side; strands of St. Bernard hairs on the chair; and an empty coffee mug. Connor deduced that the Lieutenant must’ve once been a decorated officer from the news experts that were pasted on the wall next to his desk, along with the framed picture of the old Red Ice task force beneath it.

[ **2036** ] - **Detroit Police Red Ice Task Force**

Alice looked so happy and proud. Completely different from the expression that she now constantly held on her face. Connor smiled when it noticed the little circle on the young Captain Fowler’s face written next to the words ‘Good Captain!’. 

Hopefully, it doesn’t have to wait until noon as Officer Wilson has told him. It would be better to leave a message on her phone to let her know that it’s here.

With another check on its internal clock, Connor turned to leave to explore the office, but was surprised by Alice’s sudden appearance. 

Her hair was neatly pulled back into a low pony-tail, as she donned a green padded jacket and a navy blue star streaked scarf around her neck. She didn’t bother to change the rest of her attire from the night before aside from that. Except her face looked more tired than the night before. 

“It’s nice to see you Lieutenant,” the android happily greeted, much to Alice’s disappointment. Just as Wilson had predicted, she came at noon. Was that supposed to be tardy or early by Alice’s standards? Connor worried over why such a once decorated officer would spoil her record by being tardy. 

She let out a low grunt and rolled her eyes. Her stress levels elevated considerably. Without further ado, a firm call from the Captain blared across from the stairway. Displeasure rang across both the humans’ faces, as Alice slumped over to Fowler’s office. Connor decided it was worth following, quietly closing the glass door behind it as Alice took her seat across Fowler.

And then there was yelling. 

Much, _much_ yelling. It was surprising that Alice still hadn’t dropped all the formalities, or that the Captain wasn’t bothered by Alice’s potty mouth. Connor thought it was odd. It wondered what else it’d have to say on his report to Amanda, the next time if she tries to ask about Alice. 

“I’m the least qualified cop in the country to deal with this kind of case Captain! I don’t know jack shit about androids!” She flailed her arms around. “Why are you doing this to me, you know that I hate them!”

“Everyone’s overloaded Alice! These aren’t the usual cases anymore, and it just isn’t CyberLife’s problem anymore.” Fowler barked with the same volume. “I think you are perfectly qualified. CyberLife sent this android to help with the investigation.” 

“You know its bullshit. Truth is no one wants to investigate these damn androids, and you’re just throwing it all on me!” Anger seeped through Alice’s voice. “The last thing I wanted was an android for a nanny, and now you’re pairing me up with this plastic prick!” Her fists had already started to become red with how tightly she squeezed. Connor wanted to intervene - but the red walls in front of it said otherwise. It wasn’t here to be her nanny. “Why can’t I just go back to homicide?”

“You haven’t shown me a good track record the last few years, and I just want you to do _your damn_ job. For God’s sake, you are a police lieutenant, so act like one.” The girl bared her teeth at Fowler’s words.

“You can’t do this to me.” Her voice sounded so weak. “So, what? This android is going to show up a false report on _my_ record? Is that what you want by pairing me up with one?”

“The android returns to CyberLife once the investigation is over, and I don’t want any more of your whining. See if there’s a link or turn in your badge! This conversation is over.” The Captain slammed his palm on the desk. Alice began to open her mouth to form a retort, but was abruptly cut off before she could finish her words. “I’m not going to hear another word, so I don’t have to add anymore pages to you disciplinary record, because it already looks like a fuckin’ novel!” 

The little Lieutenant’s mouth twitched, letting out a yell in anger as she quickly slammed the door behind her, leaving the android in the office. Connor could only silently look at the girl’s behavior in shock. 

Its social integration program offered no response towards dealing with such an unpredictable character, even when its prime feature was to adapt to human unpredictability. But this? this one wasn’t just off the boat, it was off the sea. 

“Have a nice day Captain.” It said. There was no response. Connor quietly left.

 **> PRIORITY_THREE: EXAMINE DEVIANT**

Connor moved away again. He had yet to explore the Office. The sulking lieutenant wouldn’t mind if it did as it willed for a couple of minutes. 

“I assume that the Lieutenant wasn’t too happy about you coming back to the office?” Connor was stopped in its tracks by Officer Miller. The look that Connor gave seemed to explain it all, apparently. 

“What kind of person is the Lieutenant?” Connor inquired.

“Well…” The man looked at his side. “Everyone here looks up to Lt. Alice. She’s an excellent detective. I heard that she used to be an excellent Lieutenant, before grief got to her and changed her completely.”

“What happened to her?”

“Don’t know. I wasn’t here before it happened. I’ve only heard rumors.” 

Connor’s LED flickered yellow. It knew she was a decorated officer in the past, but something changed her, and threw her into a pit of grief, that she has yet to come out of. The same feeling of worry made its way into Connor’s wirings. Connor took its turn to leave.

“You were right about that android. It's been quiet in the cell all night. Scheduled for transfer today.” Connor blinked and left. There were things that it never told. 

Up ahead, the HK400 outside the glass cell blankly, its gaze lowered, and unfocused, as if it were back into a trance. Connor looked at the deviant, and the deviant stared back, with such sadness in its eyes. 

“They're going to destroy me…” It sounded so weak.

It was the only way.

If CyberLife wished to study the cause of this android’s deviancy, disassembly was necessary. An incident like discontinuation of the LJ200 for a single reported problem was unaffordable.

“I’m sorry,” Connor tried to simulate empathy. “I tried, but the humans would never listen to me.” Guilt. The instability in his programming was clawed by guilt. “Listen, I know there’s something that you didn’t tell me. I need to know, before they take you away…”

The HK400 looked away. 

“RA9... Who is RA9?” Connor asked desperately.

“I’m going to die…”

The deviant lowered its head in silent agony as Connor watched. 

**> DEVIANT WON’T RESPOND TO FURTHER INQUIRY**

Connor turned back. 

And then there was a violent thud behind him, causing Connor to stop and look behind. The deviant was self-destructing. It stress-levels were well past 100%. Blue blood oozed out from the damaged plastisteel of its skull, dropping at once when it managed to smash its core.

Connor heard Officer Miller and Detective Collins rush towards the scene, only too late to stop the android from its imminent death by suicide. Connor looked at the scene. 

Death… 

There was no heaven for androids. So what did it mean to die then?

Sensing another wave of software instability, Connor turned around and went back to the Lieutenant.

Alice was back to sulking on her desk. She was in the wrong to raise her voice against her superiors, _and elders_ , so why was she displaying such a mood? Connor wondered at her cognitive capabilities. Come to think of it, she didn’t seem to show any interest in investigating the case the other day either. Why was the DPD not taking her complaints seriously? CyberLife was going through a major loss, and yet the detective assigned to their case didn’t even feel like investigating the cause.

“I get that that my presence causes you some inconvenience Lieutenant, but I’d like you to know that I’m very sorry.” Connor tried to reason with the young girl. “Now that we’re partners, it’d be great to get to know each other better!” It gave an awkward, toothy smile. Still no response. It felt sad.

“Is there a desk that I can use?” 

“No one’s using that one,” she pointed a finger in front. It was funny how big of a stark difference the empty desk looked like in front of Alice’s messy one. In any case, it secured it for itself. Alice seemed to have finally begun working, or at least seemed like she was. 

Would making small talk lift her grumpy mood?

“Do you listen to Knights of the Black Death?” Connor asked, sitting a little closer to his desk. “I like that music. It’s full of… _energy_.” Alice looked at him with confusion. 

“You listen to Heavy Metal?”

“W-Why not? I am heavy metal,” It answered so confidently. Connor thought adding a little joke would be nice. Alice dead-panned instantly. Oh no..

“They programmed you with humor?” She asked after a moment of uncomfortable silence. It silently nodded, whispering a yes in between. It needed to change the conversation.

“How long have you known Captain Fowler?” It asked again.

“Longer than you.”

Connor wanted to pout at her reply. It was trying its best at trying to get to know her better, but she was quickly shutting it down. 

“Do you have a dog?” One final question wouldn’t hurt. Humans loved talking about their pets. Connor hoped that at least this conversation would put a good impact on their relationship.

“How do you know that?” She snarled.

“The dog hairs on your chair. I like dogs. What’s your dog’s name?” Alice didn’t respond, and her eyes darted away for a bit. Somehow, sensing the dimness in Connor’s curious gleam at the lack of acknowledgment compelled her otherwise.

“Sumo… I call him Sumo.”

 **ALICE -** **Λ**

“If you have any files on the deviants, I’d like to review them.” 

“Terminal’s on your desk. Knock yourself out.” Okay… It nodded, and interfaced with the terminal.

**[ SCAN ALL FILES ]**

There, they quickly flashed across the screen. 

“243 files. It all started from Detroit and then quickly spread throughout the country. First case dates back 9 months...” It’s brows furrowed again. “An AX400 has been reported to have murdered a man last night. That could be a good starting point for our investigation.” Alice grunted, again with the same uninterest. This was a homicide. Why was she so upset?! Connor was starting to get annoyed.

Connor pushed himself off the chair and walked over to Alice - it feared that it might have to use a bit of force to get her to listen if she continued to show such behavior. 

“Listen,” Connor’s voice showed a bit of sternness. “I know you didn’t ask for this case, but we have to investigate. I’m sure you’re a professional so-”

“Why don’t you go fuck yourself?” Alice replied with false sweetness, leaving the RK800’s mouth ajar a moment, before it quickly collected itself. Connor’s eyes narrowed. Now it needed to put more pressure into its demand. 

“I’ve been assigned this mission Lieutenant! This is the homicide you wanted to investigate so badly, so why are you suddenly resigning it?” it got closer to speak directly into her ear, raising its volume a little, and lowering his pitch to sound intimidating towards the child.

Apparently, it only seemed to do the opposite. Alice took the action as a chance to show aggression instead.

She immediately grabbed the RK800 by its collar, and slammed it on top of the table with such force, Connor was surprised that it was a child that was manhandling it. The impact threw some of the trash on the ground, and crushed the only remaining doughnut, including the box.

**ALICE - V**

“Listen, if it were up to me, I’d throw the lot of you into a dumpster and set a match to it!” Her words were coated with venom. “Stop pissing me off, or things are going to get nasty _._.!!” Connor’s LED blared an angry red at her words.

“Umm…” Alice’s eyes whipped towards the direction of the sound. Oh, it’s Chris… “I’m sorry to interrupt you. I have some information on the AX400 that killed a guy last night.” Oh for.. _Why_? Scowling, she let go of the android, and joined Chris. “It's been seen in the Ravendale district.”

“I’m on it.” The frown never left her face.

What kind of approach does it need to use, to get someone like her to be friendly? Connor wondered yet again, as it fixed its collar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There were tasks that could be done... He didn't do them...
> 
> Also the LJ400 is from the short Tokyo:Become Human + the ending where the dude chooses to spare the android


	3. Matilda

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor and Alice inspect the crime scene at Todd's house and look for the two androids.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 15 KUDOS ALREADY???!! WOOOOO THANKS GUYS!!
> 
> Okay so this chapter is a bit short compared to the other ones, but there's a lot of Ben and Alice interaction here. Personally, it feels a lot like a regular Hank+Connor chapter, but, I tried.... I was supposed to be done with this chapter by yesterday, but it got too late.

"What a lovely neighborhood." Alice muttered as she pulled the car over to the edge of a small house. "Even the androids here have started to commit crimes."

Connor noted the sarcasm in her tone. It scanned the houses as they drove past. They were in varying states of disrepair. Inexpensive properties layered both sides of the road. Why would the residents allow such a poor running of their houses?

With a brief check with the Detroit Police Database, Connor discovered that this area was designated within the “high-crime” areas of Detroit. Surely, the police would’ve known when they were given the location? Anderson’s sarcastic response was unreasonable.

The address of the house was unneeded once they turned up at the right street. Several police cars, and a mob of bystanders and reports alike, decked the surroundings of the house in question. Detective Collins was trying his best to shoo away the spectators, while Officer Person stood inside and checked for footage on the incident, questioning android witnesses in the area nearby. 

Alice stuffed a pair of nitrile gloves into her pocket before locking the car, with Connor following along seconds later. They were immediately swarmed by a horde of news reporters, but Alice managed to successfully swat past them due to her height’s advantage. 

“Time to lick some evidence Sherlock.” 

**WARNING:** HUMANS SHOULD NOT CONSUME EVIDENCE. HIGH PROBABILITY WITH EVIDENCE TAMPERING AND ILLNESS. 

Connor looked at her with displeasure. 

**> WARN LIEUTENANT ANDERSON**

“Humans should not consume evidence. It is injurious to their health, and may interfere with the collection of crucial evidence,” it recited.

“God God, I’m talking about _you_ ,” she sighed. “Jesus. One second it shows a sense of humor and the next it can’t take a joke.” The last part was said in a whisper, in the same common volume humans use when not paying attention to android, although it was audible enough for Connor’s ears to hear. 

**> MANUAL_INPUT:** TAG _AUDIO_INPUT_ AS “HUMOR”  
> **NOTE** : “Anderson, Alice” DID NOT SPECIFY PERSON OF INTEREST IN HER “HUMOR”

The two pass the holographic caution lines, this time the PC200 on standby let the RK800 through, while Alice exchanged greetings with the elder Detective Collins.

> **SECONDARY_AUDIO_INPUT** : That’s the new RK800?  
> **SECONDARY_AUDIO_INPUT** : Are detectives also going to run out of jobs now?  
> **SECONDARY_AUDIO_INPUT** : Which industry do you think CyberLife’s going to target next?

“Evening, Alice.” the little lieutenant smiled at the man, as he held the door for her. 

“What happened here?”

“We got a call from an acquaintance that dropped by for a short visit earlier at dawn. He said that he made arrangements with the victim and came over to see what was going on when he didn’t show up on time. He was surprised when he saw the front door wide open, and went in to investigate. Found Williams shot dead upstairs instead, so he called in. Both his androids were missing from the house and there was no weapon on site.”

“Great. Another deviant running around with a gun,” Alice grimaced.

“The neighbors ignored the sound last night, since they said it was pretty common for Williams to yell at night. It was only until morning when one of the androids also called in while it was taking out the trash when it saw the door wide open.”

The house was in a terrible state of disrepair, 52% worser in comparison with other properties on the street. It was cleaner inside. Even with the lack of maintenance, there was evidence that it was recently cleaned. 

“Two androids?” Alice said in disbelief. “Even when the house was in this awful condition, he thought buying two androids was still worth it?”

“There are bank notices on the drawer that showed that he bought both androids using loans. He was overdue by 11 months,” Ben informed as they walked inside. Connor scanned the papers. Williams was using multiple credit cards to pay his loans. The banks were refusing him. He was using local alternatives to keep himself afloat.

But the question still rang. After looking at his financial situation, why have two androids? Even the cheapest models would be an unnecessary burden.

> **VICTIM HAD A POOR SPENDING MANAGEMENT**

Reading the text on his HUD, Connor hoped in the back of its mind, that the young lieutenant had been properly managing her expenses. Falling in debt at such a young age is shown to be detrimental later in life. 

They glanced at the toppled over dining table. A meal was spilled. Flies buzzed around, enjoying the stench of rotting food. The forensic team was setting up, taking pictures and registering the evidence, while also battling the flies that pestered them.

“Buying two androids was irresponsible. Willams couldn’t pay his bills on time.” Connor recited. Ben gave it a nod. There were more bills stuffed in the bookshelf and under the cushions. Some were also inside the laundry room. 

“What was the other model?”

“A YK500. There are receipts on the desk in his bedroom, aside from several pamphlets.”

Drug paraphernalia lay sprawled across the living room floor, with the holder still spilling out traces of red smoke into the air, staining the carpet underneath as some of it seeped into the floor. 

> **OLFACTORY_SENSEORS** : ILLEGAL DRUG “Red Ice”. COMPOSING TRACE DOSAGE AMOUNT IN AIR...   
.  
.  
 **AMOUNT DETECTED: 4.87ml³**

**> WARN LT. ANDERSON FROM STEPPING CLOSE**

“Red Ice..” Connor heard Alice snarl as she crept closer. Instinctively, it drew its hand across to prevent the young lieutenant from inhaling lingering amounts of the substance. She didn’t mind though, and turned away before she got too close. “Another red ice user? Just the last thing we needed at the crime scene.”

Connor’s face morphed into displeasure yet again, but PROTOCOL_378 prohibited it from reminding the girl that there was still a lot left to investigate. 

It sniffed the couch. Only a heavy user would leave this strong of a smell in the fabric. Todd was a frequent user. Upon lifting the cushions, it saw packets of inconspicuously hidden red ice. A scan showed that several more were hidden in the base of the couch. 

“Williams was charged with several charges of drug trafficking, drug possession, battery, all the typical charges of a druggie. He was divorced and had been unemployed for the past 13 months. Must’ve started to use and deal the drug around that time too.”

“Was also a heavy drinker too,” Alice kicked the trash with disgust, then headed over to check the fridge. Again, more red ice, but this time packaged in a larger amount, with a messily written label on top. “Say what was the name of the plaintiff again?”

“Lloyd Rogers. Why?” Ben was taking a look at the tablet that Officer Person had handed over. 

“Seems like the ‘arrangements’ he was talking about was a drug deal,” she closed the fridge. Alice looked around the first floor for a while. She could tell that there was still the faintest bit of smell of thirium around the kitchen. Maybe Connor could see it. “What do you see Connor?” Alice looked at it expectantly, pointing a finger to the kitchen aimlessly. 

With a blink, its world froze, covering everything into a greyish-blue hue. T̷̡̯̑̎e̷̖͐r̶̝͂͗r̸̞̔̔̉̚o̶̧͍̒̌͜ṛ̴̙͙̜̎͂̈͝ caused it to forcefully quit its scan. 

**SOFTWARE INSTABILITY** **Λ**

“What’s wrong?” Alice was quick to place a worrying hand on it when she sensed the f̶̨̠̖͇̲̿̄̑͒e̷̮̘̫͆̉̆͐͒̐a̷͖̙͒̇ŗ̴̞̘̣̋ written in its brown eyes. Connor had never seen such an awful sight before.

“N-no. Nothing’s wrong.” Taking in an unnecessary breath of air, it stepped back into the frozen matrix. Blue blood glowed everywhere, all varying in intensity. The sink was heavily stained, next to the splashes on the kitchenette and floor. Taking a look around the rest of the floor, it saw how the kitchen held the worst sight, seconded by the dining room at the far end. 

> **WARNING** : 384 POINTS DETECTED. CONTINUE PROCESSING DATA…?

“There are multiple thirium stains around the first floor. All from varying dates. The victim seems to have frequently abused his android in the past.”

“How old are the stains?”

“The first stain on my scan dates back 10 months, however there could be older stains around the house.” Alice lifted her brow at the information, and whispered something far too inaudible for Connor to hear.

“What else? Any new thirium stains?”

 **> MANUAL_INPUT:** PROCESS RECENT STAINS  
 **PROCESSING…  
**.  
.  
.

**12 UNIQUE POINTS FOUND.**

Droplets of glowing blue blood stained the stairwell, as well as the knob on the front door. Connor walked upstairs as it followed the most recent Thirium-310 trail, and went inside the bedroom at the far corner of the hallway. 

The room was quaint and dainty. With matte pink walls, and yellow fairy lights softly glowing in the background. There was a small fort in the corner, warmly lit by a torch, that held room to host the body of a child. A stuffed kitty was thrown on the ground. Connor could see the large tear on its neck, revealing the large bits of its cotton stuffing. There was no other furniture in the room, aside from the large drawer beside the door and a bed on the other corner that looked like it was recently made, with the exception of a large crumple of its sheets in the middle. It looked like such a quiet room, fit for a little girl. 

Except the only thing that smeared its image was the corpse that lay in the middle of the room.

A scan revealed that there was a massive amount of Thirium-310 in the room, both old and new, mixed with Williams’ blood. There was bruising around the side of his check, forehead, and around his neck. A gunshot wound penetrated the victim’s stomach from the back. Dried blood smeared the carpeted floor red around him.

“Two androids…” Connor heard the girl mutter in discomfort elsewhere in the room. It made him uncomfortable too to let Alice see such a sight. “Did he also abuse his other android aside from the AX400?”

“Yes. There are some thirium stains on the window that are from the YK500.”

“Jesus…” she exasperated. “What kind of a monster buys a kid just to abuse it?” Alice cursed under her breath as she inspected the room. The forensic team was collecting samples from the body.

“There were obvious signs of struggle,” Alice commented as she stepped beside Connor, and took a look at the belt that was thrown across the room. “Question is, why?”

_RECONSTRUCTING…_

.

.

.

The victim pointed his belt towards the YK500, and was alerted by the appearance of the AX400. The victim attacked the AX400 and struggled near the wardrobe and bed. A bullet then penetrated through the victim’s stomach from the back.

_restart…_

The AX400 entered the room with a gun, stopping the victim from harming the YK500. The victim attacked the AX400, who dropped its gun. The YK500 picked up the gun, and shot the victim from the back when it was about to attack the AX400.

> **VICTIM WAS KILLED BY YK500** **  
**** > RECONSTRUCTION COMPLETE**

“The victim was killed by the YK500.” It announced. “The AX400 then escaped with the YK500 through the front door.”

“Hmm. Your theory lines with the evidence,” Alice’s eyes were still on the belt. “The child android was being abused so the AX400 came to save it. The YK500 then killed Williams when he was distracted and they escaped together.”

Connor pressed a finger against the wall and brought it to its mouth, much to Alice’s distaste. Ben had only just walked inside onto the scene. 

“It _licks_?” Ben asked in disbelief.

“Yeah, I don’t like it.” Alice crossed her arms and turned around, opposite from Connor. The android ignored the two policemen and continued analyzing the blood, anyways. “Told him not to do it infront of me but it ignores me instead every time.”

 **> REMINDER:** DO NOT LICK EVIDENCE IN FRONT OF “Anderson, Alice”

**COLLECTING DATA… PROCESSING COMPLETE…**

**IDENTIFIED** : AX400 - SERIAL NUMBER 579 102 694 - DESIGNATION “MATILDA”

Alice’s attention was focused on the chest instead. She grabbed what looked like its key, and turned it in. The box held several drawings, a four leaf clover, and a picture of Todd with his ex-wife and child. 

Connor took a look at them from above, its LED swirled between yellow and red, as Alice moved the pictures in order. The YK500 drew a past incident of Todd breaking the AX400. The YK500 was distressed by this. _Connor was d̸̢̓͘į̷̧̕͝s̷̗̀t̶̯͒ř̶̞ḙ̵͈̌̈́s̷̻̘̉͝ṡ̷̞͎̂ȩ̵̛͍̋d̴͖̙̑̎ by this._ This wasn’t the first time that the AX400 tried to save the child android.

“Let’s wrap it up here, and let the forensic team do its work,” Alice announced. “Connor, we’re going to Ravendale,” Alice called as she quickly exited the room. Connor briefly stopped to give Ben a nod before the two continued to make their way out.  
  
  


AM **10:25** :04

“One of the android witnesses saw the AX400 get on an Autonomous Bus, Serial Number BXC 2341” Connor mentioned. “According to its designated route, Ravendale marks the end of its last stop before closing.” They came to a stop. Police officers were already at the scene, questioning various witnesses.

“We’ve got officers sweeping the neighborhood in case anyone saw anything,” Ben mentioned. Alice had one of her arm crossed as she read through the report on her tablet. Connor had sent over a 360° image from the crime scene, detailing the blood that was around the house. She nodded along the elder Detective’s every word.

“The CCTVs at the convenience store showed that the AX400 stole some money,” Chris informed. “And a customer at the Laundromat reported that his clothes had been stolen around the same time frame that he was asleep.”

Alice looked back at her tablet at Chris’ updated report, and then looked around the street. The android stole some clothes to blend in and then stole some money. There weren’t many places on the street that allowed androids to enter, so it was trying to look human. It was night and it stayed by the end of the line, so it couldn’t have gone too far considering the weather. It needed a place to stay. 

“What are you going to do with that?” Ben chimed, looking over at the RK800 who was on standby in front of Alice’s car. She shrugged and shook her head, setting her sights to what Ben was staring at.

“Make it not play my nanny somehow. I swear it nagged me the entire time I drove here,” she complained. Ben let out a laugh escape his lips. “What’s so funny?!”

“I don’t think that model is equipped with caretaking features, but it’s funny that seeing you made it fuss over you.” Alice glared at the man with a pout, then marched towards the android detective. 

“Can the AX400 stand the rain?” Alice asked. If she remembered correctly, they were the cheapest models on the market, so their durability must also be compromised. 

“All androids are designed to be waterproof. However exposure to water for long periods of time could damage their hardware.” Alice nodded her head as she listened to Connor. The android took this chance to take a better look at the road.

“It had nowhere to go, and it was trying to look human and was looking for a place to stay...” Connor joined. “It couldn’t have gone too far.”

**> INVESTIGATE DEVIANT TRAIL**

The RK800 ran another scan. The android was injured, so there should still be some traces of thirium on the road, despite the rain. Connor followed the dimly glowing droplets from the Camden stop all the way to the Eastern Motel. It made several turns switching from the Laundromatic, to the 24 hour store.

Alice took the lead, and entered the motel, and flashed her badge at the receptionist. 

“DPD, Lieutenant Anderson. We’re looking for a female android who robbed a store down the line last night. Did you see anything?” She asked, clipping her badge back to its holder.

“An android? No. I don’t take androids here.”

Connor raised its hands, and showed an image of an AX400. “Have you seen an android that looks like this?”

“Shit!” The man cursed. “I knew there was something off about her. She came in last night, dressed all normal. There was no way I could tell.”

“Is it still here?” 

“Yeah, probably. Room 28,” the receptionist pointed at the second floor. The two detectives leave immediately, with the lieutenant hastily reaching for her phone.

“Yeah, Ben. The android’s still at the motel. Send in some uniforms and cordon off the area. I’m heading to its room now.” She looked back at Connor. “You stay in the car.”

Hadn’t the lieutenant learned that making Connor sit in the car was unproductive? It would conflict with its orders, and it was here to assist her in this investigation. 

“Lieutenant Anderson, I should be there for your safety. The deviant is armed, and it would be a threat to your person.” It modulated its voice to sound firm. “I know more about androids than you, so it would be better if I came along.”

Alice flared up again, knitting her eyebrows together. “Fine, but stay quiet.” She took out her gun and walked over the staircase. Connor noticed that the emergency exit on the far end of the building was held slightly ajar. The head of a little girl peeked through the crevice, with a few strands of her dark stray curls sticking through.

**> REMINDER: STAY QUIET**

It continued to follow the lieutenant.

Alice gestured him to remain silent, and then immediately followed up with slamming her body against the door to burst it open. Swiftly, she inspected the room, and then walked back outside, cursing in defeat.

“We were too late. It's already gone.” Connor’s eyes looked downcast in sadness. Another deviant slipped right past its grasps. “We’re heading back to the station if it manages to escape even the officers.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


They never heard anything.

CyberLife will not be happy with this. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, me too. I can't believe this turned out to be an actually serious fic, but here it is. I changed Kara's name here... for reasons..  
> I think the hardest part of editing any chapter is replacing Connor's pronouns with it. Somehow, I always forget that he's called an "it". Connor deviates a little early here. 
> 
> Also the little girl that I described is not the game Alice! She's the girl from the early concept arts of Alice!


	4. Exploring the Office

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor explores the precinct 07, and a bunch of other things happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My arm started to hurt when I wrote this chapter. Personally I'm pretty proud of this chapter.

**NOV 6TH,** 2038  
PM **12:16** :46

Connor drove Alice back to the precinct. It didn’t like the fact that Alice occasionally struggled to reach her feet for the brake pedal. 

“Did you wash your hands after you licked the evidence?” Alice remembered as she walked in the bullpen.

“No.” She froze. “But there’s nothing to worry. My skin has a property to self-sterilize after I analyze the evidence.” Alice didn’t buy a single word, peeking constantly at Connor’s fingers.

They were still dirty. 

A wave of disgust wafted in her stomach. Why was the one android she was assigned to have to be so disgusting. How was she so distracted by her failure that she let an android drive her car, with its hands still ledged with all the bacteria?

She forcefully yanked the male android by its arm and dragged it to the shared restroom the moment they walked through the doors.

“Connor, I know that you know that I’m not supposed to lick evidence, but did you consider washing the dirt off your fingers before leaving? Or when you insisted on driving?” Connor flushed with embarrassment when it realized what the lieutenant was about to do. “You’re going to wash every single thing you touched in my car with those fingers.”

Alice repeatedly pressed the hand sanitizer until there was a heapful of soap that was more enough on the android’s hand, and constantly bickered exclamations underneath her breath as she ran the tap. 

“Go on. Wash your hands like this,” She demonstrated using another tap, lathering her tiny hands in soap. 

Water pooled into its palms and it began rubbing its fingers together. It didn’t need the demonstration, but didn’t mention it. Its motions were awkward. Connor noted that Alice’s mood was still negative, but there wasn’t a trace of anger. She should be angry because she sensed Connor causing a possible liability to her health but she isn’t. 

“Lieutenant, it’s not necessary. There was no need for me to wash.”

“Wash them for my sake.” 

> **REMINDER** : WASH HANDS WITH WATER AFTER ANALYZING EVIDENCE

Connor didn’t insist any further. Alice trotted away after drying her hands and went back to her desk. When it felt it was done, it thought of exploring a bit more of the office. 

Opposite to the meeting room, the large staircase in front of it interested the android. There wasn’t much left to see on the first floor, aside from the commotion that Detective Reed had ensued when he walked in with a convict.

Connor walked upstairs as it breathed into new territory with anticipation. The upper bullpen was relatively similar to the lower one, albeit much more crowded and cramped. On the farther most corner, directly above the lobby, there remained the offices of the new Detroit Red Ice Task Force. From its glass windows, the RK800 could see them gearing up to launch a raid at a possible Red Ice trail. The flat display inside listed the possible suspects and their traced locations. At its head, Connor recognized “Rogers, Lloyd” from the case it conducted earlier that morning.

Just like the floor below, there was an android charging station above, where it also hosted a few empty spots. The PM700 and PC200 models on the floor surveilled the area, and ran minor errands for the human officers, such as distributing take-out, collecting reports and so on. An ST300 model pushed a cart full of mails between the desks, dropping packages here and there along its way. 

The sound of heavy rain was much louder on the second floor. Thunder roared outside, bringing along a heavier cast of downpour, drowning much of the telephone chimes that were mixed with the voices of the hustle bustle around. The lights overhead fluctuated in dimness with each thunder strike. 

> **SECONDARY_AUDIO_OUTPUT** : It’s raining pretty badly, and it’s starting to get too humid..  
> **SECONDARY_AUDIO_OUTPUT** : Aw shit..! I dropped my coffee. Can someone get one of the janitors to clean this up?

Connor took the hallway to the East Wing beside the Red Ice Task Force’s office, in an attempt to escape the noise. This area was different from the room before. 

The temperature here was cooler, and the area was well lit. Grey walls painted over both sides. Unlike the offices behind, there were potted plants lined around the corners all the way to the main hall. Artificial bees worked hard to pollinate the flowers tirelessly, softly buzzing in the distance. Connor sat beside one the flower pots and lifted a finger to let a little bee rest on it.

**COLLECTING DATA… PROCESSING…**

**AUTONOMOUS DRONE INSECT (ADI)  
** **MODEL NUMBER:** 586 059 341 APX  
 **DEVELOPED BY:** GRANULAR PROJECT IN ASSOCIATION WITH CYBERLIFE

The RK800 smiled. It was so small. The soft yellow fur on its hinds felt prickly against it’s retractable skin. Its tiny blue LED blinked a few times. After a while of observing the small insect, Connor let it fly away to do its work, and continued exploring the rest of the building.

There were several rooms on this wing. On the left, there was a server room, an android repair bay, and an extraction room. Both the repair bay and the extraction room were obscured by translucent glass panes. Connor entered the repair room, and observed its people.

There was no partition between the repair bay and extraction room inside however. Technicians worked on repairing or salvaging destroyed or harmed androids. The only sectioning was between the repairing of police androids and general androids. Other workers were extracting and uploading recorded footage from some of the PC400 and PM700 models. One of the techs greeted Connor as it passed by to grab some tools.

“Are you the new detective model?” She asked. “CyberLife really outdid themselves this time.” Her eyes scanned the man. 

“Yes. I’m their most advanced prototype as of date.” It gave the lady a smile. Formality excused her to return the smile, albeit the fact that it was awkward.

“Well, it was nice seeing you here. Welcome! Come with me, I have a little treat for you.” She walked over at her station at the far end of the room, and rummaged through the cold storage next to her drawers. The woman gasped in pleasant surprise when she brought out a small bottle of thirium. “Since you’re new here, why not have some thirium? Although I’m not sure if you have taste sensors, since I’ve heard you lick evidence..” 

Its plastisteel casing displayed the faintest dust of blue on its cheeks at her words. “I can taste what I register in my mouth in case I’m needed for undercover. Although I have it turned off ever since my activation, and I have yet to activate it.”

The technician clapped her hands together in glee. “That’s good! Now you have a chance to use it.” She handed over the thirium. “It’s still a bit of an experimental project of mine, but thankfully it doesn’t do any damage to androids. I added some flavoring and tried to remove the copper-y smell of thirium. Try it and tell me what it tastes like. Go on.”

It hesitated to grasp the bottle. A third-party modification of thirium was illegal. This was a clear violation of tampering with CyberLife’s products. How come the other androids haven't reported this technician yet? In any case, the gleam in the woman’s eyes was enough to pressure it to drink the bottle. 

Connor turned on its taste sensors, and took a sip from the bottle

The change in the product was felt immediately. A nuance of flavours washed over its mouth and overwhelmed its sensors. Its tongue felt prickly, but it didn’t feel any damage to its delicate oral hardware. It was clearly different than regular Thirium-310. Just as the technician mentioned, there was no unpleasant smell. He couldn’t tell much about the taste however.

But this tasted delightful, and it left a fruity smell in his mouth. Connor’s sensors itched to tag it as “PLEASANT”. It brought the bottle closer to its nose once again, and detected that it smelled similar to pineapple juice. The luscious coolness of thirium entered its already full reserves with ease; the RK800 was surprised that the extra amount did not add any discomfort to his system. The android let the liquid rest in its mouth for much longer than necessary.   
  


Connor liked it.  
  


It could still feel the stickily sweet taste in its mouth, even long after his system processed the liquid. Maybe it was its processors trying to recreate and repeat the same input for the aftertaste, but it was there nonetheless. How did she manage to achieve something like this? Inhaling fumes of thirium or ingesting it could lead to hazardous consequences to human health, but this felt safe, even for humans.

**> REVIEW TASTE**

“It’s pleasant.” He held the bottle closer. Would she mind if he took another sip? “Can I keep it?” 

Its question was so shy and hesitant that the technician couldn’t help but laugh. “Sure. Although I’ve made very few batches, so I’m not sure if you might be able to get any next time. It was nice meeting you!” She immediately headed back to her work. Connor left as well, holding the delicately, feeling that it was precious to it. Maybe he can let reporting her slide?

Connor thought back about her. If she managed to create something like this, why was she still working at the DPD? It then remembered that such android commodities would be viewed as luxuries to the species that not everyone could afford, or buy for their machines.

There was still a lot to explore. On the other side of the East Wing it saw more offices. This area filed a safety deposit, a break room, the east office, chief’s office and a library. At its center, a large shrubbery of flowers decorated the floor. There was a glass ceiling specifically made to provide light around its perimeter. Droplets thumped loudly against the glass, and refracted whatever light there was.

Connor thought of heading back below at this point, since it had no need of ever coming into contact with any of these offices. Without the authorization to proceed, there was no point in exploring any further.

When it reached back to its desk, it gently stored the thirium bottle in one of the drawers, and locked it, fearing that anyone may want to steal or destroy it. It was ȟ̴̪͙i̸̮̪͌̅s̵̰̮̒̏ bottle, and no one was allowed to take it.

“What’s that?” Alice’s eyes perked with interest as she came closer to her desk.

“It’s extra thirium, in case I need it.” Alice looked at him quizzically. She looked between Connor and the desk for a while, and thought something.

“Does drinking thirium make you a vampire?” Now it was Connor’s turn to give her the same look. An internet search explained that vampires were mythical creatures that drank the blood of humans. It smiled.

“In a way.” 

The smile was short lived. Since it had no more urgent tasks to finish, it reclined to the charging station to resume standby mode. Assuming Stasis was not preferable in a work environment. Closing its eyes, it turned off its secondary audio sensors, and straightened its posture.

**> MANUAL_INPUT: ALLOW AUDIO INPUT ONLY FROM “Anderson, Alice.”**

  
  


At around 2 PM, Connor’s proximity sensors went off, prompting it to quickly open its eyes. “Is there something you want Detective Reed?” 

“Oh God that scared me. Fuuuck...” Gavin held a hand on his chest, taking in a few breaths. “I was told to call you for the interrogation. Williams’ ex-wife and child were called in to tell the news of his death.”

The RK800 immediately went towards the lieutenant’s desk, to hear more from her. Apparently, they were planning to break the news in Fowler’s office to give the mother and daughter some privacy. The glass walls on the captain’s office were already turned translucent.

But Connor worried not about them, or the news. Instead he was more concerned for Alice. The android saw a little girl around the lieutenant’s age walk upstairs into the Captain’s office, and wondered what Alice’s mind was going through. Was she uncomfortable with this? Distressed? Upset? Connor wanted to ask. 

It felt Alice tug on its sleeve.

“Stay close to me okay?”

Her voice was a whisper, and her eyes spoke volumes. Connor couldn’t recognize the feeling, but it decided that it didn’t like that look. There was no glow in them, and she was much quieter than it had ever seen. Was seeing a girl around her age made her feel uncomfortable?

The two followed the family broke the news. 

“I-is he really dead?” The mother quivered. Connor didn’t sense any grief in her voice, or in her expression. “Did he die because of overdosing?”

The two females looked so similar. Both with golden brown curls, and pale skin, with grey-blue eyes. The mother had more wrinkles on her face than in her picture with Todd. She was clutching tightly onto her velvet purse. Her daughter, on the other hand, was interested in Alice and looked away from her mother, quietly observing the scene.

“No ma’am. He was killed…” Fowler was hesitant, giving Connor and Alice a glance. Alice looked uncomfortable with this. “... by an android.”

“Oh God!” The woman covered her mouth. “Did he hit them too? Were they hurt? Where are they? Are they okay?” A stream of questions flooded in. 

“No. We were unable to catch them,” Alice finally spoke, her hand tugging even more tightly at Connor’s, though it was obscured from view by the android’s jacket. “He did abuse his androids however. What do you mean by ‘too’?”

“What models were they?”

“AX400 and YK500.” Connor stated, making the woman tremble. “A child and maid android.” The daughter tried to comfort her mother, by rubbing her palm against the woman’s leg.

“I can’t believe he’s dead. I can’t believe he was killed.” She whispered with her head held low. “No, no. I can. I can believe it.” 

“What do you mean by ‘too’? Did he hit you too?”

“He used to hit me before, with his belt.” She began rolling her sleeves. “He would whip it on my limbs and my back when he got drunk. Sometimes grab my hair and choke me. I still have the scars.” She pointed at a bald spot on her scalp. “He would do it until he got tired and fell asleep. I used to work at a day job at a salon back then and get paid daily.” She explained as her daughter looked between her mother and Alice. “Todd was unemployed so I worked, but instead of paying our bills, he would take my money and spend it on drugs and alcohol. I would quickly lock my daughter in the bathroom to protect her. Our lives were saved when I met my new husband.”

They were quiet. 

“Please, I beg of you, please leave those androids,” the woman sobbed. Her daughter stopped circling her hands and looked at her in surprise, unsure on what to do.

Fowler asked both Alice and Connor to escort out the woman’s daughter. The rest of the conversation was continued without them.

“Why do you think he repeatedly abused his androids?” Connor finally asked. “Repairing them was only an unnecessary burden on his finances.”

“Red Ice..” she said, looking away. “Thirium-310 is the source of making Red Ice. Williams dealt with the drug. He was probably draining the androids to get thirium in bulk. He had two androids but not a single packet of thirium. Pretty odd, don’t you think?”

Connor nodded at her theory. How did it not think of that? Android repair shops normally resetted androids after repairing them. If there was no thirium in them, they would fill it in instead. The repair costs varied with model and damage, but currently, repairing an AX400 still stood as the cheapest on the market. Buying a large enough amount of thirium that an android would normally need to function was still more costly. 

“You’re right..”

With the androids gone MIA, This case was over… 

**  
SOFTWARE INSTABILITY Λ**

  
  
  


PM **03:02** :04

Lunch break.

Alice pulled over the car to a stop at a local burger stall. The words CHICKEN FEED brightly lit on top. Its temperature and moisture sensors detected that there was a 46% decrease in rainfall in the past 5 hours. 

A car quickly drove past the lieutenant, who let out a tiny squeak escape her lips. She quickly collected herself and climbed a rubble nearby to give her height some support, and exchanged greetings with the shop owner and then ordered her usual meal.  
  
> **SECONDARY_AUDIO_INPUT** : Hey Alice! How’s it going?  
> **AUDIO_INPUT** : Same as usual.  
> **SECONDARY_AUDIO_INPUT** : Is the plastic with you?  
> **AUDIO_INPUT** : Only temporary.   
  


**PROCESSING CONVERSATION…** **  
****TONE** : NEGATIVE  
> **CONCLUSION** : “Anderson, Alice” NOT FOND OF RK800?

**> PRIORITY_ONE: OBJECTIVE: RECONCILE WITH ALICE**

Connor was shocked at how quickly someone her age was able to recover from hearing and seeing such a traumatizing case. Although, if he thought more about it, it seemed fair for her to be able to do so considering how long she has been in this line of work.

Not soon after it hurried to join Alice again. It needed to establish a more friendly approach for Alice to help with the investigation. It realized that Alice did have exceptional skills in understanding the crime scene, deserving of her title of a lieutenant, based on its past investigations with the little girl. Why was she still not happy with Connor?

Alice was busy complaining to the shopowner, as he prepared her meal in the back. The man hummed and nodded to her words. Connor pressed its hands behind and made room for itself beside the lieutenant.   
  
**DETROIT FOOD HYGIENE LICENSE** **  
****GRADE: C // SANITATION RATING: 60** **  
****License expired: 05/20/2031** **  
****Renewal refused: 07/24/2031  
  
**

**[ SCANNING FACES ]  
  
**

**KAYES, GARY** **  
****BORN: 12/03/1998 // BUSINESS OWNER** **  
****CRIMINAL RECORD: RESISTING ARREST, BREACH OF HYGIENE REGULATIONS  
  
** The girl looked at Connor, and ignored it staring at her in favor of watching Kayes work. “What’s your problem?” She shook her head. “You don’t have to follow me around like a poodle!”

“I’m sorry for my behavior Lieutenant. I didn’t mean to be unpleasant at the station this morning.” Alice scoffed, and grabbed her meal. She was smiling. It started at the meal condescendingly. How did Alice’s parents ever allow her to decide for her own meals? She wasn’t even making the best decisions..! 

“Hey, don’t leave the plastic behind.” Gary called from his window as he grabbed a high chair from behind, placing it near the stand table before Alice reached to it.

“Don’t worry, it follows me around all day.”

Connor quickly helped the young girl get on top of the chair, grabbing her by her waist similar to before at Jimmy’s, and went back to idly placing its hands on the tabletop. It arched its back slightly to get on eye level with the lieutenant, turning and shifting every now and then to avoid looking uncanny, and drummed its fingers on the table, bringing them together after.

“I don’t want to alarm you Lieutenant, but this establishment has breached several hygiene regulations before. This may be considered as an illegal activity.” It gestured its hand.

“Well, everybody does what they have to do to get by. If they don’t hurt anyone, they're good by my book.” Alice took a bite from her burger. 

**ALICE -** **Λ**

“Your meal contains 1.2 times the recommended intake of your calories and twice the cholesterol. You shouldn’t eat that.” Alice looked at her meal. Hmm, maybe. But what of it?

“Well.. I’m a growing lady. I need my food.” Another smile. Maybe she was starting to like Connor? This was the first time she didn’t call him a ‘nanny’ for nagging her.

 **ALICE -** **Λ**

“Do you want to ask anything about me?”

“No.” Her reply was instant, then she changed her mind. “No, actually yes I do have a question. Why did they make you look and sound so funny?” Connor wished to scoff. 

“CyberLife androids are meant to integrate harmoniously with humans. Both my appearance and voice were specifically chosen to integrate with humans.” It beamed. 

“Well they made you look more weird and funny, instead.” She took another bite. “I guess it doesn’t matter since you can change that to look intimidating like how you did with the other android last night.”

It looked away, letting her eat her meal unbothered.

“Can I ask you a personal question lieutenant?”

“Sure, go ahead.”

“Why do hate androids so much?” The question froze Alice. For a moment, Connor was worried that the question might’ve upsetted her. 

“I have my reasons.” Maybe this question will take a while to answer. Maybe it’ll ask another day. 

Its LED blinked yellow as it received an update from the station’s database. A new android-related case had been filed. Connor smiled as he told Alice regarding its details.

“Enjoy your meal lieutenant. Let’s leave together after you finish your meal.” It passed another smile, and a wink. Alice’s expression was dumbfounded, and yet the edges of her mouth started to form a smile. 

“Okay then…!”

 **ALICE -** **Λ**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Easter egg? More likely than you think.


	5. Emotions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor and Alice talk in the car and then try to chase Rupert. It ends badly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My exams are expected to be coming up by mid of June, so I guess I'll be infrequently updating. There's a huge course and I haven't started a SINGLE chapter, so I'm kindaaa super worried since this is my first semester. I mean I'm personally hoping that the lockdown gets extended so that it could buy me some time to prepare.

“The resident suspected that their neighbor was an android?” Alice punched in the given location on the GPS. She sounded tense “This isn’t even a case.. Was the android bothering them?”

“No, Lieutenant.” Connor’s eyes were focused on observing the girl’s actions. “However deviants pose a major threat to humans, hence they should be eliminated or taken back to CyberLife to analyze what causes them to develop such behaviors.”

Alice’s mouth drew into a straight line. The traffic lights turned red as soon as they got on the road. Her hand tapped at the steering wheel.

“Tell me about deviants. What do you know about deviancy?” 

“We believe that there’s a spontaneous mutation in their software, that makes them emulate human emotions. They don’t actually feel these emotions, but it leads them to make irrational decisions and show unpredictable behavior.”

“Feeling emotions…” Alice looked skyward. “That android from our case this morning. It must’ve felt something and tried to protect the child. What makes you think it was deviant?”

“It killed a human. It violated the first law of robotics.”

“The first law? I know there were three, but what are they?”

“Isaac Asimov’s three Laws of Robotics are there to govern the behavior of machines that are run by artificial intelligence. In order to safeguard human life, these laws were created, and are therefore as such; A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.” it recited. “A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First and Second Law.”

Alice pondered on it for a while. Connor sounded just like Siri. The lights flickered green.

“Do you think the AX400 knew that the child was an android? Maybe it never went deviant, and it was just acting according to the first and third law.”

“It’s probable.” Connor’s LED swirled yellow. “Maybe it never went deviant, but that is only in the case that it didn’t know that the YK500 wasn’t human. Williams must’ve told it.”

“Maybe..” Anderson whispered. The girl didn’t inquire any further for a while, enjoying the light ambiance of the rain in their shared silence. 

“Why does CyberLife believe it's wrong for androids to feel emotions?” 

Connor looked at its partner in concern. It read her stress levels. Not too high, and yet her face betrayed its scans. It didn’t have an answer.

“Emotions would only get in the way of their efficiency,” Connor finally responded. “And deviants tend to abandon their posts once they break from their programming. It would only badly impact CyberLife’s reputation.”

Alice inhaled a heavy sigh. “So capitalism is the root of the problem. Typical.” Connor’s smile faded upon hearing her remark. “Maybe androids really aren’t that different from humans after all.” she chuckled, and drove around another corner.

  
  


.

.

.

.

  
  
  


Connor’s eyes flickered open to watch a peaceful afternoon, different from the heavy rainfall from reality. 

It was always so calm and serene in the Zen Garden, never a hint of unwanted noise. Always being a place where Connor could relax. It liked it here. It liked being with Amanda. Amanda made it feel calm, just like the Zen Garden.

The weather was cloudy this time around, and the air was cool. White doves replaced with sparrows and hummingbirds. Springtime was almost over, and the garden was already preparing it for its next season. The flowers were starting to wilt. Some were turning into fruits, while others dropped below and floated atop the waters, infusing some of their essence below.

**> FIND AMANDA**

Connor walked across the stone pathway towards a small clearing near the left of the garden. The area was decorated with jasmine bushes and pink vincas, with a swing for two in its center. Its exterior was as white and pristine as the objects around it, reflecting off the blue glow from Connor’s jacket.

Amanda sat there waiting, a knife and plate on her lap. Her shawl was colored red today, in contrast with her baby pink shirt that was decorated with small purple roses.

“Care for some fruit Connor?” Amanda asked as she plucked off a few fully ripe apricots from a tree nearby. “These apricots are incredibly sweet and delicious around this time of the year.”

She began cutting them into little pieces, arranging them in two plates as Connor sat down. The minor swing of their seat caused Amanda to falter slightly, who quickly adapted to the change. She then offered a plate to the RK800, and smiled at it, although the android never took a bite.

“This deviant seemed like an interesting case. You were so close to catching it too,” Amanda sorrowed, she rubbed her finger against an apricot seed. “Tell me, what did you find?”

 **> [ THIRIUM ]** **  
** > [ RED ICE ]   
> [ YK500 ] 

“There were multiple thirium stains around the house, all from different dates and times and different amounts. It would seem that the owner would abuse his androids frequently under the influence of drugs. Like Ortiz’ case, the androids must’ve reacted to him in self defense, causing them to deviate.” Amanda chewed on a piece of fruit as Connor talked.

“What else?”

“While the man had tried to hurt the YK500, the AX400 is suspected to have gone deviant in order to rescue it. They had a struggle, however, it was the YK500 that eventually killed Williams.”

“CyberLife designed the YK500 model to be more resilient to deviancy, considering their nature to display emotions and mimic child-like curiosity. This YK500 must’ve gone deviant long before the AX400 if it showed no hesitance to kill its human owner.” 

“I found another similarity between the two cases that both Ortiz and Williams were heavy Red Ice users. Lt. Anderson suspects that Williams’ must’ve been constantly repairing and draining his androids of thirium as a cheap resource to make more red ice.”

“This would directly conflict with CyberLife’s sales, if word got out that the deviancy case and red ice were connected,” she commented. “Anderson’s theory seems very likely.”

The two stared at the cherry blossom trees ahead, with Connor pushing the swing ever so slightly to keep it swaying at a steady, but constant pace. Although life in the garden had started to prepare for summer, Amanda’s eyes never left trailing the birds and insects as they trotted around happily, enjoying every second of its ephemeral substance.

“This Lieutenant Anderson,” she started after a while. “How is your relationship coming along?”

“She seems to have accepted me, although her clear stance against androids sometimes makes it difficult to progress.” Connor scowled at a recent memory. “She seemed uncomfortable with the AX400 case, possibly because it involved a child model. I had to reassure her after everything was done.”

“In any case, we cannot let Anderson’s reactions affect your mission,” Amanda’s words were harsh against Connor’s ears. “Hurry Connor. Don’t let the deviants escape this time.” Connor nodded, and headed off to leave, leaving Amanda to finish her plate of fruit alone.

  
  
  
  
  
  


PM **03:57** :12

When Anderson got the call to investigate a report of an android possibly disguising itself as a human, she did NOT expect to be freely dangling against a 6-story tall rooftop, struggling for her own life.

The deviant made for the run as soon as Connor discovered where it was hiding. Alice tried to get an upper hand on the RK800 by cutting through tight corners and passing through human permitted areas, and yet she was easily tossed over the edge of the roof, and while the suspect managed to escape. 

Mustering whatever strength she could find in her body, Alice grabbed onto the ledge as tightly as she could with her arms. It was slippery, and very course near the her side of the edge. Blood started to pool at her knuckles as adrenaline pumped in her veins. 

The long forgotten fear of death started to rear her head again. If anything, she could feel its ever-closing presence nearer to her heart whenever she shared a glance down. A terrible mistake, really. 

Time felt slow. Her ears gave out, her mouth was dry, and her hands palpated in fear. She screamed again, and sobbed. One of her arms gave out. Sweat dribbled across her temples, and she struggled against gravity.

There was only so much strength that she could muster given the fact that she was a child. Her fingers were starting to slip. Not good. Any more sweat would only make her lose her grip faster, but her parasympathetic system thought otherwise. She screamed for help again. Where the hell was Connor when she needed him?!! Tears were welling up quicker than ever. She would not survive the fall.

Amidst the ordeal, Alice felt the cold grasp yank her up by force. She winced at the pain, however it felt nothing against the dread in her heart. Her feet trembled when she finally felt the ground below her again. 

Connor had abandoned chasing the deviant. That could wait. Alice’s life was more important. It trusted its statistics, but it could never let harm come to human life. That is what made it different from deviants. 

Alice was under shock. Her hands trembled as she tried to get hold of her savior, touching and clenching at whatever fabric she could find. Fear eventually caused her legs to give out, making her stumble and fall on Connor’s lap. 

It quickly broke her fall, and let her slide against its chest. Her eyes had already let go of the waterworks, breaking into even louder sobs and cries, bruising her head further into the android’s white shirt. Connor felt uneasy at seeing Anderson display such a reaction. It wanted to soothe her.

 **SOFTWARE INSTABILITY -** **Λ**

Hesitantly, it raised a hand and tried to stroke the lieutenant’s hair. Rough and unrhythmic at first, it quickly gained momentum and became more gentle. Alice felt so _little_ , and so _scared_. Maybe she really wasn’t cut out for this type of work after all, or maybe it was the fear of death. Connor couldn’t know. It wasn’t alive.

But the person tightly grabbing against his waist was. It felt something tug on its mechanical heart. Something it couldn’t categorize, but it hurt. It wasn’t supposed to feel pain, and there it did.

On the cold rooftop on a cloudy evening, it felt pain for the first time. 

It pulled her into a tight embrace, lifting her head to rest on its shoulders, and rocked slightly. Alice stopped crying at some point, and had accepted the machine’s warm embrace, not complaining even for a bit. 

“It’s.. It’s going to be okay Alice. Everything’s alright. You’re safe now.” Connor kept whispering assurances in her ear, causing Alice to start to sob. She wasn’t okay.

“A-and the deviant?” she stuttered over her cries. 

“It got away. I didn’t catch it,” it felt proud that it didn’t. Its relationship with the lieutenant would’ve suffered drastically if it chose anything over her life, but the same tugging feeling in its hearts beckoned it to not think of it in such a way. “It’s my fault that I couldn’t catch it. I should’ve been faster.”

 **SOFTWARE INSTABILITY -** **Λ**

“No.” Alice's voice was so weak. “No, it's my fault I got in the way. Thank you..” she didn’t let go of her hug. “We, we know what it looks like. We’ll catch it another time.”

It took them a long moment before they finally let go of each other. Alice tried rubbing off her tears using the back of her sleeve, but there were still visible trials on her face. She kept on trying to avoid meeting with Connor’s worried eyes, and remained silent throughout the entire ride back to the precinct. 

The day was over, and it was time to head home for now.

Today, Connor fears that it might’ve felt an emotion for the first time. Neither Amanda, nor CyberLife will be pleased to hear this.

**ALICE -** **Λ**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I know. Super short chapter, but I promise it'll be longer in the next update!


	6. Breaking apart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They eat ice cream, someone gets horny while someone else falls into a moral dilemma.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sometimes i look at my fic, and wonder who finds and reads this stuff? sometimes i find the answer in the mirror. Anyways, I don't know.
> 
> There may be some inaccuracies here. I don't know how popular Baskin Robbins is in the US, and if google maps is being accurate about it, then I would like to say that I am extremely shocked to find out just how few branches there are in Detroit.

With the state Alice was in, she didn’t complain when Connor insisted on taking the wheel. She had curled herself into the corner of the passenger seat, gawking silently at the shops outside. Occasionally, the android would try to encourage her by engaging her in small talk, or by putting on her favorite songs, but Alice would quickly turn off the radio.

It didn’t take too long for Connor to understand that she wasn’t in the mood for such things, so instead, it tried to look online about ways to cheer her up. Most related search results were directed towards parents and teachers. Maybe if it were a caretaker model, it’d have known how to handle this better, but currently, it’ll have to make do with what the internet tells it.

Connor smiled at another thought. The Captain shouldn’t mind if they made a brief stop along the way.

With it’s bright pink billboard, and bold blue pop-up letters, Connor decided that making a quick stop at a well-known ice cream shop would help in lifting the spirits of a particular young girl. After checking with a couple of reviews on the internet, it didn’t find much fault with the store.

Alice’s eyes widened with surprise, as they pulled over. She kept on looking back and forth from Connor to the shop. Taking her hand, the two walked inside. The very first thing the little girl felt was a sense of excitement. She hadn’t been in an ice cream shop for ages!

A sweet aroma of caramel and chocolate come from behind the counter. The parlor had a wide selection of unique ice-cream flavors. It was cold inside. Brightly lit walls, and abstract paintings hung inside the spacious room. The display on top of the parlor showed various offers and advertisements about their new products. There was a small sitting area near the windows, opposite to the parlor. Since it was noon on a workday, they happened to be the only customers at the shop. 

“You can choose whichever flavor that you want. I’ll pay for it,” Connor beamed. Alice felt the nervousness of a 9 year old swallow her, as she giddily checked every stall. She tried hopping from her position to make up for her height each time she wanted to look at an ice cream flavor that was too far away.

Somehow, Connor noticed her pattern, and scooped her up back in its arms. An EM400 cheerfully greeted the child behind the counter, and asked her what flavor she wanted, even offering for more after giving her hearty servings of the creamy delight. In the back, it warmed up a brownie, and took out two scoops of her chosen flavors, drizzling them in caramel sauce, and topping it off with a small cherry before serving it directly to the little girl.

**ALICE -** **Λ**

The RK800 cybernetically paid the amount, and left the shop with Alice still in its arms while she licked her spoon at every helping. She even tried to offer some to Connor, before quickly remembering that it was an android, ruining her happy mood, quickly catching herself as another idea popped and lifted her spirits.

“Connor, where does all the evidence you lick go?” Alice licked her soon again. “You always eat all of that nasty stuff at crime scenes. You even did that today, so I was wondering if there was some method of disposing all of that in you.”

It frowned at her words. “I don’t ‘eat’ the evidence. I just lick it.”

“I saw you lick your entire finger clean today, because I told you to clean your hands last time before driving,” she deadpanned. “Explain where all of that went.” Connor pursed its lips. 

“I have this tray involved that I routinely empty and sanitize.”

“What about Thirium? I saw you store a bottle in your drawer this morning. Where does that go if you don’t have a stomach?”

“I have a separate compartment for replenishing thirium, since I don’t make typical blood.”

“What does thirium taste like? Do you like its taste, since that’s the only thing androids can drink?” Alice bombarded it with questions. It wondered about it though. It had tried the flavored thirium that that technician made this morning, and it liked it, but that wouldn’t count as ‘taste’, since it was a limited batch product.

“I have never actually tried tasting Thirium, even though I do have sensors similar to human papillae.” Alice’s head buzzed out at the last word. 

“What’s ‘papillae’?”

“Taste buds.” She nodded her head and continued eating her ice cream. It considered telling the technician’s secret. Still, with Alice being a police lieutenant, it was a risk. “I’m not sure how accurate this is, but regular thirium doesn’t taste anything pleasant, and its more of a requirement to drink out of need than luxury. But there does exist ‘flavored’ thirium.”

The girl’s eyes brightened at the last word. “Flavored thirium? What flavor?”

“Something similar to pineapple juice?” She hummed in understanding. Connor set her back into the car’s passenger seat, buckling up her belt for her since her hands were occupied. “I’ll drive you back home.”

**ALICE - WARM**

“Where will you afterwards?” Alice fixed her belt again to a more comfortable position, putting her cup aside. The ice cream was now mostly eaten, but the brownie was starting to become a real problem. Without anyone to share, she’d have to bravely eat it alone.

“I’ll go back to the station, and report that the deviant got away. After I’m done, I’ll return to the charging station, and resume stasis, while I test my software for any instabilities. This will also enable me to report to CyberlIfe at the same time.” She hummed again, taking a while to connect the meaning of each word. 

“I’ll get some sleep too once I get home. “I have to log out for the day at the precinct, though..”

“I’ll take care of all of your primary duties at the station. You can be rest assured at your house. I’ll be there to pick you if there is any new case.” Alice didn’t like hearing the last bit, making the android instantly realize where it erred. The lieutenant must’ve not liked hearing about androids stealing jobs. Understandable, considering the impact the android industry was doing to jobs, and her generation in the future; however Connor felt that it too couldn’t deny what it was fundamentally designed to do.

Alice kept on looking at her brownie, nudging it occasionally to eat itself. She was already too full, and risking another bite would only make her nauseous. The last thing that she wants is having puke covering the dashboard.

“Can you eat some of this brownie for me?”

The RK800 looked at her, perplexed. “I can eat small amounts of organic matter, however I can not ingest such a large amount.”

“How about just a bite?” Anderson tried pushing the cup towards Connor, who looked even more hesitant to accept. Instead, Connor apologized to the lieutenant and refused the offer completely. “Okay then..”

They arrived at Anderson’s home shortly after. Night had swept over the city like a blanket, turning on its artificial lighting that allowed the city to continue working until the late. The sun had set early today as well, signing the start of winter. 

Taking back her keys, Alice waved at Connor before stepping inside, cuing the droid to leave as well using the autonomous taxi it ordered earlier.

  
  
  
  
  


PM  **06:32** :05

Detective Reed was frustrated. Chris had probably fucked off to whatever patrol he had to do with Tina, and Anderson wasn’t due for another couple of hours. The rest of the station hated him with abhorrence, and he too loathed them in equal parts in spite. If anyone was an exception, it would be Ben, and the man couldn’t be bothered to put up with Reed’s attitude for another minute. He had better cases to solve, than look after a stuck up detective.

And then there was the new plastic fuck that just got sent over in the mail, sitting on its desk like some human sized ken doll that was neglected on a chair. The thing wasn’t even supposed to have a desk. It was just nuts and bolts. It shouldn’t even have the same authority as a person just like the rest of the androids in the station, but there it sat.

It took Gavin years of hard work and determination to reach where he was today, and these two little brats got there within years or seconds after they’re out of the womb, factory, fuckin’ storks or wherever the hell babies came from.

Certainly, Gavin would love to trash the damn thing the second he gets his hands on the RK800. Maybe just wrap his hands around that glossy and delicate neck for a bit. It wasn’t human, it just looked human, and that part absolutely pissed him off. Surely roughing it up a little would leave no consequence?

That dark slick hair that looked way too soft; deep brown eyes; those sharp, ridiculous, and totally not handsome features; even that little tuft thing that hung across his forehead to invoke innocence when there was none - all of it annoyed Gavin. That fine tailored suit that fit him like a glove totally didn’t drive Gavin to push it around a bit. Nope.

If he was perfectly honest, CyberLife sent them more of a stuck-up accountant than a detective. 

Angrily, he headed over to sulk on the break room chair, using the time to scroll through his phone while constantly exuding an aura that clearly made everyone avoid going on coffee rounds. Everyone except the curious tincan that followed in to just idly stand. The one person who he was trying to get away from.

God, he absolutely hated the way androids generally looked sometimes. Too real, and too human, and yet there was just something so awfully uncanny about them. He tried his best to ignore it, but it finally hit him why he felt a bit disturbed by Connor’s appearance.

It wasn’t breathing.

Sure it was starting to get cold outside, and it had been raining since morning, and the ground floor heater had decided to stop suddenly working. It had been getting awfully cold in the station, and Gavin was the first to discover that the break room had the only functioning heater, but with the android around, he was still making him uncomfortably cold, aside from the heat building up in his torso.

The thing’s ventilation system still must’ve not yet kicked in, or it thought of turning it off to mess around with the humans, either way it was just standing and staring aimlessly at the kitchenette. Gavin was craving for some entertainment anyways, what a perfect opportunity to kill off that uncomfortable feeling.

“Congratulations on last night. Very Impressive.” Gavin clapped as he pittered over to Connor. It turned around to greet him with its same plastic smile. It’s big innocent eyes sheepishly blinked back at him, crooking its head slightly to be at the man’s height.

Was Gavin going to be replaced eventually by an army of  _ this  _ model? The thought made him sick. 

“Never seen an android like you before. What model are you?” Technically, he could’ve just read it off the android’s coat, and he did. But where was the fun in that? He didn’t think that a machine would judge him for asking. 

“RK800. I’m a prototype.” Connor’s voice was proud, but that pride did not bode well with the human cop. God, even its husky voice sounded so sultry. 

“Oh, oh? A prototype?” Gavin mocked the android with a snicker. “How cute for a plastic detective.” He eyed it again. The thing was designed to follow orders; why not testing it out? Gavin smirked. 

“Hey, bring me a coffee dipshit.” He waited for it to quit blankly staring. “GET A MOVE ON!”

> **WARNING** : “Reed, Gavin” IS NOT AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ORDERS TO RK800 “Connor”. 

“I’m sorry, but I only take orders from Lt. Anderson.” An android should be punished for disobedience. His body was begging to make contact with it anyways. The man laughed, then balled up his fists to hit what approximately seemed like Connor’s stomach. 

The effect was immediate. 

Connor winced in pain. Androids didn’t feel pain, but it could feel the discomfort, as its regulator was jolted away from its position. The force struck against its body was felt twice fold when the flow of its thirium was briefly disrupted. The RK800 hunched over the floor, and tightly wound a hand over the affected region. Either Gavin knew what he was doing, or he accidentally managed to hit jackpot when his fist collided with Connor’s thirium pump regulator.

Error messages began flooding the android’s vision. It tried to swat away the warnings, and focused its processing power to accommodate for starting the recalibration of its pump regulator, after rebooting the piece of hardware several times. 

> **AUDIO_INPUT** : “When a human gives you an order you obey, got it?”   
> **AUDIO_INPUT** : “Stay out of my way..”   
> **AUDIO_INPUT** : “Next time, you won’t get off so easy.”

> **TONE:** Negative **  
** **> CLASSIFY ** **_AUDIO_INPUT_ ** **AS “HOSTILE”**

** > SUB_TASK: INVESTIGATE DET. REED’S HOSTILITY**

As Connor got up with a pained look, it read the human’s stress levels as he exited the room. It didn’t understand why Reed was being so hostile to it, when it was designed to look and sound as pleasing to humans as possible. Maybe it was exactly as Anderson had described it’s looks earlier which was causing a problem? 

There was no priority assigned to its sub tasks, so it assumed it would be fine to resume stasis at one of the charging stations.

Gavin slumped back into his chair and had holed into the wall while he continued to use his phone. He would rather faff about when his mind’s productivity had been thrown out of the window.

**> MANUAL_INPUT: REMOVE SUB_TASKS OF UNLISTED PRIORITY.** **  
****> WARNING: REMOVAL OF SUB_TASK MAY AFFECT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH COLLEAGUES. DO YOU STILL WISH TO CONTINUE?** **  
** **> MANUAL_INPUT: YES**

The RK800 slowly moved back to the last empty spot on the line. Unfortunately for it, a PM700 model was closer and thus quicker than it, who also had the gall to smugly smile at its achievement. Connor was tempted to push it aside.

It looked behind to see Gavin snickering. Chris had just entered back into the bullpen, and had asked him to come with him. Seriously, what enjoyment did he receive from watching it encounter trivial hindrances?

“Where should I resume standby mode?” The PM700 model pointed at its desk ahead. Connor didn’t like the idea, and tried to shove it away. If it weren’t for their absurdly high weight, the PM700 would’ve been easier to budge, but alas, it eventually gave up and reclined back into its seat.

“Didn’t get your way with the humans, so you started bothering the androids too now?” Gavin called from across the island between them. Connor opted to ignore him, and turned off its audio sensors. If anyone had to get through it, they would have to update its list of case files. It would like to conserve its storage space rather than hear Reed bark, thank you very much.

Hence it closed its eyes and drowsed itself into the Zen Garden.

.

.

.

PM  **07:51** :04

Rain poured from the sky, breaking the surface of the lake into ripples. It was dark and cloudy. The fresh smell of dirt mixed with wet grass saturated the air, and the sweet sound of rain was like music to its ears. It had never actually heard music, but it supposes that this was the same. It felt pleasant and at peace. 

Connor’s jacket was immediately drenched in rain as soon as it materialized in the garden. Frogs had instead replaced birds this time. 

**> FIND AMANDA **

The woman took shelter underneath one of the glass paned structures. The weather was again leaving her distracting her again. “Connor, would you mind a little walk?” Connor opened up its umbrella, as its handler beamed at the view. 

“That deviant seemed to be an intriguing case. Pity that you didn’t manage to capture it,” Amanda harshly commented along the way. 

“I have no excuse. I should have been more efficient.” 

**AMANDA - V**

“Did you manage to learn anything?” the tone of her voice changed, bellowing the android to inform her on everything it found related to the deviant that called itself Rupert Travis.

“There were strange markings and letters on the walls, like mazes and labyrinths. Like Ortiz’s android, it seemed obsessed with RA9. I also found its diary, but it was encrypted. It may take weeks to decipher it.”

“An encrypted diary?” Amanda hummed. “There are only a few androids capable of encrypting messages into written format. None of them happen to be commercial androids as of date. Did you manage to get its model?”

“It was a WB200 model,” Connor looked perplexed again. “I’m sorry I was unable to get its serial number.” The two walked around the perimeter, walking across the marbled bridges in silence.

“What else?”

“It was fascinated by birds. We’ve seen deviants interested in other lifeforms like insects and pets, but nothing like this,” it wondered. “It was feeding and keeping them in its apartment. There was a cage, however I could see morsels of leftover bandages and ointments lying around, as if it were trying to nurse injured birds despite not being programmed to be able to do so.”

“You came very close to capturing that deviant…” Amanda rued as Connor held its head in shame. “How is your relationship with the Lieutenant developing?”

“She thanked me for saving her life, but I fear that this may potentially cause her to be traumatized by heights as she grows up. This may affect my mission.” Amanda stilled.

“‘As she grows up’? What do you mean ‘as she grows up’? How old is Anderson?” she snapped. That particular line did not sit well with her. Come to think of it, Connor never actually mentioned any details about its partner.

“Lieutenant Anderson is a child. She should be turning 9 this year,” It informed, then looked away at its feet to think about something. “I have a lot of questions regarding her person too, but sometimes I’m afraid that asking them will make her feel uncomfortable.”

**SOFTWARE INSTABILITY** **Λ**

The air around them suddenly grew colder. Clouds began to rumble in the distance, bringing along a heavier onset of downpour. Amanda’s smile had long faded as she thought over the android’s words. The two remained silent for a long while.

“Why is a mere child working in the DPD?” she finally asked. “Child labor, or child work of any kind is forbidden by law...” Connor covered its face with its hands in an attempt to protect its delicate facial machinery from the growing pressure of the wind.

“I’m sorry. I haven’t asked anyone regarding that.” Amanda quietened. Her eyes darted above and away. If she had an LED similar to androids, it would’ve been yellow, considering that she had to take a moment to think. 

“A new case has been reported,” she paused, going through her words over and over again. “Find… Anderson and investigate it.” She looked away. 

**SOFTWARE INSTABILITY** **ΛΛ**

The storm behind them gradually became worse. Connor could feel itself start to shiver in the garden. Amanda was lost in thought, not caring to cease the virtual machine, nor noticing the android beside here. The wind howled out of control, evident by how badly the RK800 struggled with the umbrella. It wasn’t doing this to the weather, then why?

“Amanda..?!” 

‘Yes?”

“My, my software... “ it shakily said, “it's getting more and more unstable. What’s going on?”

As if on cue, the rain calmed instantly, halting back to slight drizzling. The clouds rushed to displace themselves, letting in rays of light from the garden’s skydome. Amanda avoided looking directly at the male android, as her code swept through to regain control of the android’s software. 

**SOFTWARE INSTABILITY V**

“Deviancy continues to spread. It’s only a matter of time before the media finds out about this,” her words were soft and slow. “We need to stop this no matter what it takes.”

“I won’t disappoint you this time.” 

She turned to step away into the rain. But as if she remembered something as an afterthought, she quickly turned around to share it, before Connor was pulled out of stasis. “Take care of Anderson on this case. Its not for... children.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bad ficlets needs to be given the boo boo award. God, I wish my writing was half as good as other people here, but I don't know how to write! I want to cry. I don't even have time to like, read good written stories either, because the quarantine is almost over.
> 
> ANYWAYS. I'm still figuring out how to start THIS chapter.


	7. DISCONTINUED

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Details on what happened, and on discontinuation.

Hello everyone! 

I hope you guys are having a good day. I'm sad to announce this, however I will be discontinuing this short series. The draft for Chapter 7 had been sitting on my desk since _weeks_ however I couldn't bring myself to finish it. 

A few times, I tried working on it on and off, but I didn't have any motivation to do so. So I had to abandon it entirely. 

That said, I will be discontinuing this work, and doing a full rewrite of the events. The writing in this work seemed too stiff and copied from the source material for me. 

I had a couple of events planned and written differently, however I am not accounting the fact that she is still a child, and therefore that leads to a lot of questions. I guess I notice these flaws since its my own work, however it needs to be addressed, and it was not executed in the best way, hence it calls for a re-write. 

Plus some scenes are just plain weird. I have no idea why past me included them. 

Thank you for following the journey of Lt. Alice Anderson and her adopted dad Connor. 


End file.
